Bow-facing rowing mechanism.



Patented Dec; I6, 1902.;

0.12. SHEEN, 80W FACING ROWING MECHANISM.

, (Application filed Feb. 10, 1902.

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PATENT BOW-FACING ROWING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,882, dated December 16, 1902. Application filed February 10,1902. Serial No. 93,293. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL. R. SHEEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at-Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bow-Facing Rowing Mechanism; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention pertains to bow-facing rowing mechanism. 7

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient rowing mechanism which is designed to replace the old form of straight oar and the later forms of bow-facing oars.

My further object,besides the above,is providing a bow-facing oar which can be quickly adjusted for use in backing the boat.

One of the purposes of my present invention is to provide a device for rowing boats whose oar shall have a curved form,whereby its carrying-arm may be made as long as possible to obtain a longer sweep by a short movement of the hand of the user, and the oar being of said curved form and suitably balanced may swing with the semicircular movement described by the arm carrying it without touching the water.

Furthermore, my purpose is to provide a simple means of putting the oar-blade into position for entering the water for a stroke.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the side of a boat, showing my improved rowing device. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the boat and rowing device,

showing altered position of the latter. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the oar and its supporting-arm and a spring for normally holding said oar in a substantially horizontal position. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the gunwale of a boat, showing the rowing mechanism clamped thereto. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a clamping plate or supportfor the rowing mechanism. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a shaft for the carsupporting arm, showing interior arrangement. Fig. 7 is a side View of a portion of the same. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a device carried by the oar for assisting in the operation thereof. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the oar, showing a hook and chain as a modified form of my device.

In the figures, A is the boat, having a plate B supported upon its gunwale. This plate may be of any'desired form. I show the same with flanges B, which have screws Gin each for securing it to the side of the boat. A boss D is formed with said plate inside the boat, which has a square hole for receiving the square stein E of the oar-support, which is held by a set-screw E, said stem being capable of vertical adjustment by means of its upper threaded extremity F, which carries a horizontal bearing G for a shaft H; Upon the boss D are four standards I, which support a plate J, through which the extremity F passes. A nut Krests upon said plate, and by turning the same the bearing can be either raised orlowered, as desired. To this portion I lay no particular claim, however, since other means may be employed which will answer the same end.

In the bearing G is the shaft H, before mentioned, which carries at its outer end an arm L, which extends down at one side of the boat. The lower end of this arm is bifurcated and an oar M is pivotally held therein, as shown. Said oar is of peculiar form, and to this I attach much importance. Itis formed in the arc of a circle with the hollow thereof uppermost, as shown in the drawings in Fig. 1. I desire to balance the oar on its pivot or so arrange it that the weight at one end will equal that at the other. AspringN is placed within the bifurcated end of the arm L, one end of which bears against the arm, as shown, and the other upon the oar. This keeps a constant pressure upon the oar, which overcomes any tendency of the oar to tip down at the paddle end if such could occur for any reason, and a projection O in said oar meets the arm L and prevents too great movement in the opposite direction. It will be understood by a study of the drawings that the oar is free to tip in one direction .to permit the paddle or blade to reach the water, but cannot tip beyond a horizontal position in the other direction, as already intimated.

At P, near the end of the oar opposite the paddle, is a projection P, which extends inward toward the boat. This is adapted to contact with a stop R on the side of the boat when the oar is reaching its full forward movement to take a stroke in the water.

At the inner end of the shaft 11 is an arm S, which is pivoted in the slotted end of such shaft and carries a cam-shaped extension T, the purpose of which will presently appear. The said shaft is bored out, as shown in Fig. 6, and a rod U is placed therein having one end bent out at right angles to the length of the rod and then bent again at right angles, as at V, parallel with the said length, as shown in Fig. 6. The said portion V extends through a slot cut in the shaft, so as to be capable of movement back and forth, as will be understood. A stem W on the rod U receives the end of a spring X, which bears against the shaft at the bottom of its bore and normally keeps the said rod U thrown toward and against the pivotal end of the arm S. The car when making a stroke is brought against the shaft II in the position shown in Fig. 6, so that the part- V of the arm U will engage said oar at certain times, as will appear later on. Now with the bearing G adjusted to the desired height, it will be seen that by swinging the arm S back and forth the arm L must likewise be moved, carrying with it the oar M. If the stop R were not on the side of the boat, the oar would swing back and forth on the arm L without touching the water; but with the said stop in the position shown the oar is arrested thereby by means of the projection P, which moves the forward end of the oar upward until it reaches the shaft H, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen that since the arm I. moves forward after the pin strikes the stop the action last above mentioned must result. This brings the oar in position to enter the water when the direction of movement of the arm S is reversed to make a stroke. Attached in suitable manner to the bearing G is a friction device for holding the oar until after it enters the water. This merely consists of two springs G, mounted side by side upon a suitable support. It will be noted that this support is secured rigidly to the top of the bearing G and that the springs are consequently stationary and are so placed as to receive the oar at the beginning of the stroke, or when the portions P and R contact with each other. \Vhen the latter portions come together, the oar is thrown to the position for rowing, as in Fig. 2, and the upper end of the oar is thrown down between the springs, which exert only enough tension to sustain the oar until it has touched the water, after which the pressure of water will prevent the oar reaching a horizontal position. The springs are shown separated and diverging from one another; but the oar is of such size as to enter between and force them farther apart, and the necessary friction is imparted thereby for holding the oar. By being affixed to the bearing the oar can be drawn out from between said springs G. When the oar has made its full stroke in the water and rises therefrom, as in Fig. 1, the spring N holds it in the position shown in said figure, and the oar then travels to the forward position and strikes the stop R, which throws the oar to and into the friction device, where it is'held until again withdrawn in the manner already described. It will be seen that my improved rowing mechanism is thus perfectly automatic in its action. When it is desired to reverse the motion of the boat, the arm S is raised to a position directly opposite to that shown in the figures in full lines and then appears as in broken lines in Fig. 2. This movement is taken when the oar has been thrown to the position shown in Fig. 2, where the said oar lies against the shaft 11. As said arm is raised the cam T thereof pushes the rod U toward the oar, and the extremity V incloses said oar and holds it firmly against movement. Now by giving the arm S a rotary movement the arm L and oar M are swung bodily in a circle, said oar meeting the water for a stroke at a position opposite from that when the boat is moving forward. When it is desired to again proceed forward, the arm S is carried down to its normal position. This permits the rod U to attain its first position due to the pressure of the spring X and releases the oar, which can now be used as before.

In order that the projection P on the oar may not interfere with the stop R in the revolution of the oar, I construct said projection as shown in Fig. 8, in which said projection is pivoted to a lug P, which is a part of the fastening on the oar. The projection is free to swing on its pivot in one direction, but is prevented from moving in the other by a projection P which strikes against the lug after the manner of a knife-blade, so that as the oar swings in its full revolution for the backward stroke, as above described, the parts are free to pass each other.

I have shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2 a chain or cord 2, which is attached to the boat atone end and at the other to the oar, as shown. This maybe used in place of the strip R and projection P for placing the oar in position to enter the water. In Fig. 1 the chain is laxed, and as the oar is swung to the forward position for a stroke the chain is gradually tightened until at the limit of move ment the oar is thrown to the position for entering the water, as described. The chain is of such a length and so placed with reference to the oar and its movements that it will permit the oar to swing free, but at the limit of movement of the arm L places the oar in proper posit-ion for a stroke, since the chain is of a fixed length and the end of the arm L travels beyond it. In Fig. 9 a hook 3 is shown on the oar, to which the chain is connected. When the oar is raised, as before explained, to reverse the motion of the boat, the said hook is turned upside down, thereby letting the chain drop off, so that it cannot interfere with the full circular movement of said oar. When again proceeding forward, the chain is merely placed upon the hook, where it remains until released again by the same action as above outlined.

I desire to make it plainly understood that I do not wish to confine myself to either one of the methods above described, and shown in the drawings, as other means may be employed that will answer the same office as regards the operation of the oar.

The spring N may not be used, as I may conclude to abandon its use, since by a proper balancing of the oar the same results maybe had as by the use of such spring.

I claim 1. In a bow-facing rowing mechanism, an oar, an arm pivoted on the boat and pivotally supporting the oar at its end which hangs beside the boat, said oar being balanced on its pivot, means for automatically placing the oar in position to enter the water for a stroke, and means for locking the oar against movement with reference to the supporting-arm whereby said oar may be turned through an entire revolution for propelling the boat in a rearward direction.

2. In a bow-facing rowing mechanism, an oar formed in the arc of a circle, an arm for pivotally supporting the same, said arm being journaled on the boat, said oar being balanced on said arm with its bend toward the water whereby when the supporting-arm is swung in its bearing the oar moves in the arc of a circle every portion of which travels through the same path, means for automatically placing the oar in position for entering the water for making a stroke, said oar hearing against the horizontal journaled portion a of the arm'at its end opposite to the paddle end,and means for raising the oar from the water at the end ofeach stroke.

3. In a bow-facing rowing mechanism, an oar of curved form, an arm journaled on the boat and carrying said oar at its free end heside the boat, means for sustaining the oar free of the water when not making a stroke, means for placing the oar in position for entering the water, said means permitting a free rotary movement of the oar in a direction to reverse the motion of the boat, and means for locking the oar in a rigid manner when using the oar for propelling the boat in said reverse direction.

4. Ina bow-facing rowing mechanism, an oar formed in the arc of a circle, a swinging arm journaled on the boat and pivotally supporting said oar, and means for swinging said arm with its oar free of the water and means for automatically placing said oar in position for entering the water for a stroke which consists of a stop on the boat and a projection on the oarforcont-acting with the stop as set forth.

5. In a bow-facing rowing mechanism, the arm L journaled on the boat and depending at the side thereof, a curved oar M balanced in pivotal manner on the end of the said arm L, an arm S within the boat and connected with the said arm L for rocking the same, the stop R at the side of the boat, a projection P on the oar for engaging the stop when the oar is thrown forward to make a stroke whereby the oar is positioned for entering the water at the required angle and means operated by the arm 5 whereby the oar may be firmly held to make a full revolution with the arm L carrying it for the purposes set forth.

6. In a bow-facing rowing mechanism an arm L depending at the side of the boat and journaled thereon, a curved oar pivoted to the free depending end of the arm, an arm S for imparting a swinging motion to said arm L, a spring N at the pivotal point of the oar for keeping pressure on the car to hold it substantially horizontal, a stop R on the side of the boat, a projection P on the oar for meeting the stop to place the oar in position to enter the water for a stroke, a rod U within the journaled portion of the arm L, the same extending toward the car when the latter is resting upon the arm and a cam on the arm S arranged when the said arm is raised, to force said rod U toward and over the oar to lock it immovably against the arm L for the purposes set forth.

7. In a bow-facing rowing mechanism the combination of the arm L journaled on the side of the boat, an oar pivotally carried on the free end of'the arm, the spring N at the pivotal point of the oar, a stop R on the boat, a projection on the oar for contacting with said stop for raising the oar to a position to enter the water, a friction device on the stationary portion of the mechanism for grasping the oar for the purposes described, a rod U within the journaled portion of the arm L, the same having the angled projection -V thereon for engaging the oar, a cam on the pivotal portion of the arm S, the same adapted to impart longitudinal movement tothe arm U and a spring X for normally keeping the said rod U free of the oar as set forth.

8. In a bow-facing rowing mechanism, the combination of a horizontal shaft mounted on the boat and adjustable for height, a depending arm carried by such shaft at the outside of the boat, a curved oar pivoted to the said arm with the curved side beneath when in the act of beginning to row, the same being balanced thereon by being carried at about the middle of its length, means for swinging the oar to a substantially vertical position on its pivot whereby the oar is brought into position to enter the water to propel the boat, means for sustaining the oar in rigid position with reference to the rowing mechanism whereby it may be swung through an entire revolution substantially as set forth and for therpurposes described.

' 9. In a bow-facing rowing mechanism, the combination of a horizontal shaft mounted on the boat to either rock or revolve as described, a depending arm rigid with such shaft at the outside of the boat, a curved oar pivotally hung on said arm with its curved side uppermost when at rest, means for sustaining the said oar in a position whereby its ends are held at substantially the same distance from the supporting-shaft during its movements above the wateruntil near the end of its movement and ready to enter the Water for a stroke and means for moving the oar to a position for entering the water for a stroke substantially as described.

10. A bow-facing rowing mechanism comprising a curved oar, a support for the same to which said oar is pivotally secured at the middle of its length with its curved side uppermost and means for moving said oar on its pivot to a position for entering the water for a stroke, and means for imparting a back- I5 ward-and-forward movement to the oar for rowing.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL R. SHEEN.

WVitnesses':

.T. H. BLUsoH, E. J. ABERSOL. 

